Highlight Reel
THREE YEARS AT THE SFJAZZ CENTER

January 21, 2016 | by Ross Eustis

Photo by Henrik Kam

Time flies... especially in a building that puts on upwards of 540 events and performances a year! So on the day that marks the 3-Year Anniversary of the Grand Opening of the SFJAZZ Center, we catch our breath for a second and take a look back at the highlight reel. Here are 16 moments that stand tall.

POTUS at SFJAZZ: Joshua Redman, Esperanza Spalding, Barack Obama, Elena Pinderhughes (SFJAZZ High School All-Star alum), Alicia Hall and Jason Moran (2013)

Jason Moran's "Jazz + Skateboarding" mashup in Miner Auditorium (© Scott Chernis, 2014)

Hypnotic Brass Band giving one of the first open dance floor performances at the Center (© Scott Chernis, 2014)

Dave Chappelle's "An Evening of Comedy and Music" run (w/ guests Talib Kweli, Goapele, Shiela E., Frédéric Yonnet + more) (© Shelley Wilson, 2014)

Zakir Hussain's SFJAZZ Sessions: the first full-concert DVD special filmed in the SFJAZZ Center (released in 2014)

Herbie Hancock accepts the SFJAZZ Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2014 SFJAZZ Gala(© Drew Altizer)

A mirror for the greats... Herman Leonard portrait installation reflects off the windows of Joe Henderson Lab(© Henrik Kam, 2013)

Cutting the ribbon three years ago: John Santos & High School All-Star alum Laila Smith(© Scott Chernis, 2013)

Chick Corea at the Historic Grand Opening Night Concert (© Stuart Brinin, 2013)

Grand Opening Night AfterJam w/ Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (© Scott Chernis, 2013)

Wynton Marsalis hits a 2-run home-run during a friendly softball match between the Jazz at Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and SFJAZZ's Staff, Saturday March 22, 2014 at Crocker Amazon field in San Francisco.

The 50th Anniversary of John Coltrane's A Love Supreme (curated by Ravi Coltrane) (© Scott Chernis, 2014)

2015 SFJAZZ Gala honoring Joni Mitchell - AfterJam Party with Trombone Shorty (© Drew Altizer) 

Ushering in a New Year with the traditional ballon drop

$64 million Capital Campaign for the SFJAZZ Center reached (© Henrik Kam, 2013)

SFJAZZ live streams the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Family Matinee concert (December, 2015) - the first live stream from the SFJAZZ Center since the Center's Opening Night All-Star Concert on January 23, 2013 (© Scott Chernis)